Expandable cargo box arrangement for a vehicle

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for expanding a cargo box of a pick-up truck vehicle is provided. The arrangement includes a wall that defines a cabin space on an internal side and a cargo box end on an external side, and the wall is arranged to be translateable from a first position to a second position. A latch mechanism is provided and attached to the wall. The latch mechanism is arranged to maintain the wall in the first position. A release mechanism is coupled to the latch mechanism and arranged to selectively release the wall from the first position such that the wall can translate into the cabin and towards a front of the vehicle to a second position and extend a length of the cargo box.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a cargo bed for a vehicle,and, more particularly, to an arrangement for expanding the cargo bed ofa pick-up truck vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Generally, pick-up truck vehicles today are available in a variety ofcabin and cargo box arrangements to offer a variety of options forpotential customers' needs. Common cabin configurations include, amongothers, crew and quad cab configurations. These configurations generallyresult in lengthening the cabin so as to accommodate a rear seatassembly. Often, when one of these configurations is selected, a smallercargo box, such as a short bed, is selected in an attempt to offset theincreased cabin length so as to not increase an overall length of thevehicle. This overall configuration of a crew cab or quad cabaccompanied by a shorter box has certain benefits such as not increasingthe overall length of the vehicle, but it also has certain drawbackssuch as less cargo storage space.

In addition, in the club, crew and quad cabin configurations thatinclude a rear seat arrangement, often there is not an abundance ofinterior cabin storage. The rear seat arrangements in these interiorcabin configurations generally take up a majority of the interior spaceprovided behind the front seats and therefore provide little or no spacefor storage.

Thus there is a need for a vehicle cabin and cargo bed arrangement thatovercomes the aforementioned and other disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Accordingly, an arrangement for expanding a cargo box of a pick-up truckvehicle is provided. The arrangement includes a wall that defines acabin space on an internal side and a cargo box end on an external side,and the wall is arranged to be translateable from a first position to asecond position. A latch mechanism is provided and attached to the wall.The latch mechanism is arranged to maintain the wall in the firstposition. A release mechanism is coupled to the latch mechanism andarranged to selectively release the wall from the first position suchthat the wall can translate into the cabin and towards a front of thevehicle to a second position and extend a length of the cargo box.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, anarrangement is provided to move a rear seat member adjoined to the cabinprior to extending the length of the cargo box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more fully apparent from the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiment, the appended claims, and in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a partial side view of a pick-up truck vehicle havinga rear seat arrangement in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a partial side view of the pick-up truck vehicle ofFIG. 1 with a rear seat bottom translated to increase storage inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a partial isometric view of the rear seat arrangementin a seating position in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a partial side view of the rear seat arrangement in aseating position in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a partial isometric view of the rear seat arrangementin a translatable position in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a partial isometric view of a split seatconfiguration rear seat arrangement in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a partial front view of the rear seat arrangement andcargo bed extension arrangement in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a partial side view of the rear seat and cargo bedextension arrangements in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a partial side view of the rear seat arrangement inboth a seating and a translatable position in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates a partial isometric view of the rear seatarrangement with the rear seat bottom in a stowed position in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 11 illustrates a partial side view of the rear seat and cargo bedextension arrangements with the rear seat bottom in a stowed position inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 12 illustrates a partial isometric view of the rear seat and cargobed extension arrangements with the rear seat bottom in a stowedposition and a midgate in an extended position in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 13 illustrates a partial side view of the rear seat and cargo bedextension arrangements with the midgate in an extended position and therear seat bottom in a stowed position in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 14 illustrates a partial side view of the pick-up truck vehiclewith the midgate extended the rear seat bottom stowed in accordance withthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMIENT

In the following description, several well-known features of a pick-uptruck vehicle are not shown or described so as not to obscure thepresent invention. Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1–3 illustratean exemplary embodiment of a pick-up truck vehicle 10 having a cabin 20with a rear seat arrangement 30 for increasing the interior storagespace of cabin 20. In accordance with one aspect of the presentinvention, rear seat arrangement 30 includes a seat back member 40positioned relative to a rear wall assembly 50 of cabin 20 and a seatbottom member 60 positioned relative to seat back member 40 and a floor70 as best shown in FIG. 1. Vehicle 10 also includes an external truckcargo box 80 with a load bed 90 and frame rails 100.

Seat bottom member 60 is attached to a pair of articulateable trackmechanisms 150 in two places relative to the driver side and passengerside frame rails 100 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Track mechanism 150includes a telescoping frame assembly 160 and a pivotable attachment170. Telescoping frame assembly 160 includes a first frame member 180attached to seat bottom member 60 and a second frame member 190pivotable attached to the vehicle frame rails 100 via pivot attachment170 as best shown in FIG. 4. Second frame member 190 is hollow and isarranged to receive first frame member 180 in a telescoping fashion. Itis envisioned that seat bottom member 60 can be either a bench stylearrangement as best shown in FIG. 5 or a split seat arrangement 60 a asbest shown in FIG. 6 with the track mechanism 150 coupled to seat bottommember 60 or split seat bottom member 60 a.

A set of seat bottom latch mechanisms 200 are coupled to seat bottommember 60 and vehicle frame member 210 as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.Latch mechanisms 200 can be any latch device capable of coupling twomembers in a selectably releasable manner, such as typical door latcharrangements 200 used in this exemplary embodiment. Latch mechanisms 200are connected to tethers 220 such that upon pulling tethers 220, latchmechanisms 200 will detach from frame member 210 and allow seat bottommember 60 to pivot via track mechanism pivot assembly 170 from a seatingposition 230 to a translatable position 240 as best shown in FIG. 4. Ifseat bottom member 60 consists of a bench seat configuration, pulling ontethers 220 will simultaneously release both latch mechanisms 200. Ifseat bottom 60 is a split seat configuration 60 a, separate tethers willbe utilized for latch mechanisms 200, one for driver side latchmechanism 200 and one for passenger side latch mechanism 200. In thisconfiguration, each split seat portion 60 a of seat bottom member 60 canbe separately released and allowed to pivot to a translatable positionas described above and best shown in FIG. 6.

Once seat bottom member 60 is in a translatable position 240 as bestshown in FIGS. 5 and 9, seat bottom member 60 can now be translated viatelescoping track mechanisms 150 rearward outside of cabin 20 to astorage position 300 located behind rear cabin wall assembly 50 andunder truck cargo bed floor 90 as best shown in FIGS. 2, 10 and 11.

In operation, seat bottom member 60 can be released from a seatingposition and translated to a storage position adjoined to the cabin andunderneath the bed of the pick-up truck. This effectively creates anincreased storage area 420 of the cabin interior between a seat backportion 410 of a driver seat 400 and the rear seat back member 40 asbest shown in FIG. 2.

In accordance with another aspect of the current invention, the rearseat arrangement 30 cooperates with a cargo bed arrangement to increasestorage of the pick-up truck cargo bed. Referring now to FIGS. 7 and12–14, rear cabin wall assembly includes a frame portion 450, a midgateportion 460 and a window 470. Window 470 is slideably coupled to midgate460 and is arranged to mate with frame portion 450 in a closed positionand retract into midgate 460 in an open position. Midgate portion 460extends from a driver side 455 of frame portion 450 to a passenger side457 of frame portion 450 as best shown in FIG. 7. Midgate portion 460can form both part of a rear wall of cabin 20 and a forward end of cargobox 80 or just a rear wall of the cabin.

A release mechanism 500 is positioned in seat back member 40 and isattached to rear cabin wall assembly midgate portion 460. Midgateportion 460 is releasably coupled to side frame portion 450 via typicallatch mechanisms 550, such as automotive door latch mechanisms,positioned at the passenger side 457 and the driver side 455 of frameportion 450. Release mechanism 500 is coupled to latch mechanisms 550and via cable conduits 520. Release mechanism 500 is further coupled toseat bottom latch mechanisms 200 via cable conduits 530. Releasemechanism 500 includes a handle 540 arranged to engage latch mechanisms200 and 550 and simultaneously release seat bottom member 60 to atranslatable position (as previously described) and release rear cabinmidgate 460 from frame portion 450. Seat bottom member 60 is thentranslated into stowed position 300 as described above.

Before midgate 460 can be translated into cabin 20 and towards a forwardend of the vehicle, rear window 470 has to be lowered into midgate 460.To ensure that midgate 460 is not translated while window 470 is stillengaged to frame portion 450, a mechanical lockout assembly 480 isincorporated into midgate 460 as best shown in FIG. 7. Lockout assembly480 can be any mechanism capable of sensing that window 470 hascontacted the lockout assembly and then sending a mechanical orelectrical signal to latch assembly 500 to allow latch assembly 500 toengage latch mechanisms 550 and release midgate 460 from frame 450 whenhandle 540 is actuated. For the present invention, a cam assembly iscontemplated with one end of the cam arranged to be contacted by window470 when it is in a down position and the other end of the cammechanically linked to release assembly 500.

With rear window 460 in a down position, midgate portion 460 can now betranslated forward towards a front of the cabin to extend the cargo areaof cargo box 80 until seat back member 40 substantially mates with aseatback portion 410 of driver side front seat 400 as best shown inFIGS. 6 and 12–13. A cargo bed extension panel assembly 600 is attachedto rear cabin wall 50 and includes driver and passenger side panels anda cargo bed floor panel as best shown in a side view of FIG. 13.Extension panel assembly 600 is arranged to telescopically extend fromthe sides and floor of the cargo box 80 and effectively creates anextended cargo storage area 610 by extending the cargo box into theinterior of cabin 20 as midgate 460 is translated forward as best shownin FIG. 14.

Returning seat bottom member 60 and midgate portion 460 to theirrespective seating configuration positions (as best shown in FIG. 3) isaccomplished by first translating the midgate 460 towards a rear of thevehicle until latch mechanisms 550 reengage side frame 450. As midgate460 is translated rearward, extension assembly 600 telescopically slidesrearward underneath and outboard of the load bed surface and side panelsof cargo box 80, respectively. Next, seat bottom member 60 is translatedforward and then raised towards a roof of the vehicle until latchmechanisms 200 reengage frame member 210.

The foregoing description constitutes the embodiments devised by theinventors for practicing the invention. It is apparent, however, thatthe invention is susceptible to modification, variation, and change thatwill become obvious to those skilled in the art. Inasmuch as theforegoing description is intended to enable one skilled in the pertinentart to practice the invention, it should not be construed to be limitedthereby but should be construed to include such aforementioned obviousvariations and be limited only by the proper scope or fair meaning ofthe accompanying claims.

1. An arrangement for expanding a cargo box of a pick-up truck vehicle,the arrangement comprising: a wall that defines a cabin space on aninternal side and a cargo box end on an external side, the wall arrangedto move from a first position to a second position; a latch mechanismattached to the wall and arranged to maintain the wall in the firstposition; a release mechanism coupled to the latch mechanism andarranged to selectively release the wall from the first position suchthat the wall can move into the cabin and towards a front of the vehicleto a second position and extend a length of the cargo box; a cargo boxhaving a load floor member attached to the vehicle and a pair of sidepanel members positioned perpendicular to the load floor member on adriver side and a passenger side of the cargo box; and a pair of sideextension panels and a load floor extension panel attached to the walland arranged to be translateable relative to the cargo box side panelmembers and the load floor member from a non-deployed to a deployedposition such that when the wall is moved from the first position to thesecond position, the side and load floor extension panels translate toextend the cargo box; wherein the side extension panels are positionedparallel to the cargo box side panel members and the load floorextension panel is positioned parallel to the cargo box load floormember.
 2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the wall comprises amidgate portion and a window portion, the midgate portion arranged toslideably receive the window portion.
 3. The arrangement of claim 2,further comprising a lockout assembly, the lockout assembly coupled tothe latch mechanism and the release mechanism and arranged to preventthe release mechanism from engaging the latch mechanism when the windowis in a closed position.
 4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein thelatch mechanism comprises a pair of latch mechanisms arranged tomaintain the rearward wall in a first position.
 5. The arrangement ofclaim 1, wherein the release mechanism is positioned in a seat backmember attached to the internal side of the wall.
 6. The arrangement ofclaim 1, further comprising a rear seat arrangement including: a seatbottom member; a seat bottom member latch mechanism attached to the seatbottom member and coupled to the release mechanism, and arranged tomaintain the seat bottom member in a deployed seating position; and atrack mechanism attached to the seat bottom member and extendingexternally through a wall of the cabin such that when the seat bottommember is selectively released, the seat bottom member can move alongthe track mechanism to a stored position external to the cabin; whereinthe release mechanism is arranged to release both the wall and the seatbottom member latch mechanisms.
 7. The arrangement of claim 6, whereinthe release mechanism is positioned in a seat back member attached to aninternal side of the wall.
 8. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein thetrack mechanism comprises: a first member attached to the seat bottommember on one end; a pivot assembly attached to a frame of the vehicleexternal to the cabin; a second member attached to the pivot assembly onone end and slideably coupled to another end of the first member andarranged to telescopically receive the first member upon translation ofthe seat bottom to the stowed position.